The acute effects of different percentages of blood flow restrictions on all-out back squat exercise

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the effects of different arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) percentages of blood flow restriction (BFR) training combined with squat exercise (SQ) on acute exercise.METHODS: Seventeen male volunteers (24.94±5.64 years) were included in the study. Participants underwent adaptation sessions and a one-repetition maximum (1-RM) test. Participants were randomly assigned to three groups: resistance training (RT) only without blood flow restriction (BFR 0%) and two different AOP groups with BFR (80% and 150%) applied to the lower limb; the groups were termed BFR0, BFR80, and BFR150, respectively. SQ was applied as a back semi-squat in all exercise sets. The acute effects of the exercise on strength and endurance performance were evaluated by repetition number, mean and peak power, mean and peak velocity, and rate of perceived exertion (REP).RESULTS: BFR0-150 had the highest scores in terms of repetition number, mean power, mean velocity, and REP among all three groups (P≤0.05). The number of repetitions, mean power, and mean velocity were significantly higher in the BFR80 and BFR150 groups than in the BFR0 group (P<0.05). However, REP was significantly lower in BFR80 compared to the BFR150 and BFR0 groups (P<0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Performing back squat all-out exercise with BFR150 resulted in the best acute exercise effects. This suggests that BFR training can provide trainers and athletes with more benefits in performing sports programs in terms of the number of repetitions with the same loads and power outputs as traditional strength training.